Articles
NANS Supports Seniors’ Act to Improve Timely Patient Access to Care
NANS signs on to support the introduction of the Seniors’ Act or the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act, bipartisan legislation to streamline the use of prior authorizations under Medicare Advantage.
NANS Leads Response to Washington State’s Draft Guidelines for SCS Coverage
On behalf of the 40,000+ members across 10 medical societies, NANS submitted a response to draft guidelines for SCS coverage proposed by the Washington State Health Technology Clinical Committee.
NANS Supports Protections for Thousands of Medical Providers in Change Healthcare Cyberattacks
In February, Change Healthcare, the nation’s largest processor of medical claims, experienced one of the largest cyberattacks in the healthcare industry, resulting in the loss of patient and claims data.
Washington State Approves Coverage for Spinal Cord Stimulation, Granting Access to Care for Millions of Residents
On May 17, in a follow-up meeting with the Washington State Health Technology Clinical Committee (HTCC), members voted to cover spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for patients with nonsurgical low back pain, diabetic peripheral neuropathy and failed back surgery syndrome.
Humana Revises Medicare Advantage Policy Allowing PNS Treatment for Chronic Pain Under Certain Criteria
Humana revised its Medicare Advantage policy regarding coverage of PNS for chronic pain after NANS issued a statement on behalf of 12 medical societies through the Multisociety Pain Workgroup.
New CIGNA Policy Calls Peripheral Nerve Stimulation “Not Medically Necessary”
In March, CIGNA released policy 0539, characterizing peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) as “not medically necessary.” NANS is working with the PNS Subcommittee to respond to this categorization.
Draft LCD Deems Arthrodesis of the SI Joint Not Medically Necessary
NANS joins the Multisociety Pain Workgroup to object to Palmetto’s draft local coverage determination for minimally invasive arthrodesis of the sacroiliac joint.
NANS’ Efforts Ensure Coverage for Closed-loop SCS with Cigna and EviCore
NANS led efforts on behalf of the Multi Society Pain Workgroup to object to insurers’ classification of closed-loop spinal cord stimulation (SCS) as experimental, investigational and/or unproven. Cigna and EviCore revised their policies to include coverage of closed-loop SCS.
NANS leads response to Humana’s new policy that excludes coverage of PNS
In January 2024, Humana issued Medicare Advantage policy HUM-1140-000, excluding from coverage peripheral nerve stimulators (PNS) for treating chronic pain. NANS issued a statement on behalf of 12 medical societies objecting to the policy.
Restoring Medicare Physician Payments in 2024 Appropriations Bill
Recently, 32 U.S. Senators sent a bipartisan letter to Senate leaders calling for a legislative solution to protect access to Medicare services by canceling the 3.37% cut to physician Medicare payments that went into effect on January 1, 2024.
NANS signs on to urge Congressional leadership to reverse Medicare Physician Payments Cut
In January, NANS and other national medical specialty societies and state medical associations strongly urged Congressional leaders to quickly pass legislation to reverse the 3.37% Medicare physician payment cuts that took effect at the beginning of 2024.
NANS leads effort as more insurers deem closed-loop SCS “experimental, investigational and/or unproven”
NANS was alerted that several insurers, including Cigna, eviCore, Excellus, Humana, and UPMC, adopted policies calling closed-loop SCS experimental, investigational, and/or unproven.